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i love this album too. i don't get all the hate for it at all. it is good company on the treadmill for starters and the melodies are just gorgeous as are the layers of sound. there is so much urgency on so many of the tracks that it really gets me going when i want to push it on the treadmill.

I didn't realize there was a lot of hate for this ... it received great reviews, won her the Mercury Prize ... I suppose a number of fans of her grittier sound weren't wild about it, but it wasn't exactly Liz Phair. It fits beautifully into her catalog, and I think it's a highlight of her catalog. This, To Bring You My Love, Is This Desire?, and White Chalk are my personal favorites.

I recently acquired it on vinyl as well, and it's really held up after all these years. I wish Is This Desire? was re-released on vinyl ... that sucker is going for, like $200 on eBay.

I don't hate this album at all. It was a fantastic departure from her earlier work. She'd gone undercover as a stylish NYC chick and when she sang "Little Italy" in Good Fortune should couldn't sound more American as far as accents go.

It's this forum that got me listening to Polly. When I heard A Place Called Home and You Said Something my initial reaction was that she was covering those songs because I was sure I'd heard them before on mainstream radio stations. And since I did not associate her with that kind of media, I thought she couldn't possibly have written them. What a brilliant move on her part - she truly disguised herself with Stories.

I don't understand the haterade either (I encountered some in person last week when discussing her with some new friends). It's more slick/lush than her early records, but the songwriting is KILLER. Just killer. Some of my absolute favorite songs of hers are from this record.

"See everything as an illusion, and enjoy it even though you are not of it."
~Alanis Morissette, paraphrased

Stories is my 2nd favorite album by PJ, with Is This Desire being my favorite. I have such fond memories of the Stories era, and loved the whole album and the b-sides are fucking awesome! Seeing her Live on that tour was the best thing I ever did. It still remains my favorite concert I've ever attended.

I don't understand the haterade either (I encountered some in person last week when discussing her with some new friends). It's more slick/lush than her early records, but the songwriting is KILLER. Just killer. Some of my absolute favorite songs of hers are from this record.

completely agree. One Line is one of my favorites, i absolutely adore that song.

I'm rarely in the mood to listen to the album as a whole, but some songs just pop into my head and remind me of how romantic and provoking of contemplation this album is. Today it was We Float, which has got to be one of my favourite songs by anyone.

"The only time I get in that position is when I give birth." - Dorothy Zbornak

YEah. Yeah. That. Even though it is my least favorite PJ album to date, the individual tracks though.
Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, One Line, Beautiful Feeling, You Said Something, THis is Love, We Float.

"Replies are a combination of nonsense, unrelated comments and inside jokes"‎

Today at lunch I visited the 2nd hand CD/vinyl shop right across the street from where I live, and in the PJ Harvey section I found the "This Wicked Tongue" promo single waiting for me. I knew it existed of course, but to actually own one makes me quite happy, my PJ Harvey collection just a tiny bit more complete =).

"Replies are a combination of nonsense, unrelated comments and inside jokes"‎

I can see why this is PJ's last favourite. Even though I loved the idea of Polly doing sleek, luscious pop music, the results felt rather bland, knowing what she is capable of. I always feared its one-dimensionality would scare off potential fans, and those who were drawn to PJ over this album would be unhappy to uncover her abrasive side.

I've come to terms with it now, though.
Big Exit, Good Fortune, A Place Called Home, You Said Something (live acoustic version) and We Float are lovely tracks.
Vocally, it was her peak, plus she seemed genuinely happy at the time.